Posts Tagged ‘New York Times’

According to a recent article published by ADVANCE for Physical Therapy Practitioners®, the feature on the Certified Workers’ Compensation Healthcare Provider credential entitled “Should you take the CWcHP Exam” (published on September 20 2010) ranked third on its list of the top 10 news stories of 2010. The article features interviews of ISPA Director of Business Development, Andrew Teunis, and provides a detailed objective overview of the certification’s development, components and the current issues it aims to address.

One of those small one paragraph blurbs appeared recently in the New York Times Sports Section (Yes, Virginia, there is a NYT sports section.) The piece mentioned that Olympic and world champion sprinter, LaShawn Merritt has accepted a provisional suspension after testing positive for using an over-the-counter male enhancement product. Merritt admitted the use of the product and stated that he hoped his family would forgive him for a, “foolish, immature and egotistical mistake.”

Let’s praise an athlete who admits to a mistake, identifies the source of his weakness and simply asks for forgiveness. No spin doctors creating ridiculous commercials with deceased parents, so scripted, insincere apologies, just acknowledging a deficit, taking a consequence and being better.

The ISPA, in conjunction with ATI Physical Therapy, is in the process of finalizing its newly designed Workers’ Compensation Rehabilitation Certification to the world! This Certification has been almost a year in the making and includes an examination that tests on the various areas of knowledge needed to rehabilitate injured workers. This Certification has also been designed to cover many different occupations within the healthcare field! This includes, but is not limited to, Physical Therapists, Athletic Trainers, Personal Trainers, Rehabilitation Specialists, Strength and Conditioning Specialists and Physicians! This landmark certification is the first and only of its kind! The ISPA is very proud of this achievement and is looking forward to its release and impact on the world of healthcare!

My friends at the New York Times are at it again. In an article titled, “Baby fat may Not Be So Cute After All.” The writer Roni Caryn Rabin reports about research that indicates that our efforts to change the eating habits of children may be starting too late if we begin them in the early school years. Bravo! Exactly! But, then she ponders along with some researchers she interviewed how can we reach children at even younger ages? That’s when Roni goes from high brow NYT science reporter to: duh!

We can reach children at the earliest age by reaching their PARENTS with good habits in eating and activity level. It’s obvious. The whole theme of my latest book, FAMILY FIT, about just that. Family Fit appears on the first page of a Google search, so it wouldn’t take much to uncover the answer, Roni, it’s right there. Change families and you change kids. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to calculate that BMI (Better Motivational Insight).

Many professionals are desperate to find outlets for their publishing needs. I hope you remember that the ISPA has a publishing division that can serve as such an outlet. Whether it is a book or monograph or a CEU course, consider publishing with ISPA/NP2 Publishing and reach a global audience. Details are provided inside the web site.

Special advisory for ISPA professionals to use for their clients and to disseminate in their communities:

You have undoubtedly noticed that I love the New York Times. I found another valuable piece of information in that paper in one of my favorite sections, Science Times. In the Feb. 4, 2010 edition of the NYT, reporter Anahad O’Connor wrote about studies that showed the increase in deaths and cardiac emergencies during Super Bowl Sunday. It appears as though the extra stress of this highly emotionally charged event places additional stress on those already at risk for cardiac incidents. Couple this extra stress with the traditional over-indulgence in eating and drinking and you have a recipe for disaster.

I would suggest that the responsible professional urges caution to all their clients and to their communities during this high risk day/weekend. Please pass along the message to those you encounter in your professional practice to exercise caution in their enjoyment of this sporting event. I am treating this weekend as I would the upcoming prom weekends each spring. I am passing along the message to everyone to celebrate and enjoy this event responsibly. Please help spread the word and save lives.

Our mission at ISPA is to help support sports as socially responsible activities.

The response to our PR blasts has been very positive. We are here to help you build your career in many ways, thus we will continue to eBlast special opportunities that come our way. Please note, when we send you these media PR opportunities just respond to the request asked for. Do not, pitch these media contacts on your special project or next great idea. Nothing turns them off more than feeling like they are being “worked.”

This special bonus from ISPA has led to many great advances for our professionals.

It has been reported that Tiger Woods is in “marriage counseling” as a result of these current events in his life. I am sending a plea out that Mr. Woods needs more than marriage counseling to correct his behavior and his public image. Marriage counseling is a very circumscribed intervention. It is a wonderful help to a marriage relationship when conducted by a skilled professional therapist. BUT, a caution here. If only a small amount of the facts being paraded in the news about Mr. Woods is true, it is my professional opinion that he needs individual therapy in conjunction with therapeutic intervention on his marriage. Mr. Woods may be suffering from what plagues most athletes, especially professional athletes. That is, the pressure and stress from their performance is resulting in negative consequences in their life.

The credentialed professionals in the International Sports Professionals Association(ISPA) are those best qualified to intervene in the lives of athletes suffering from these disorders. We know athletes well. Many of us having been athletes all our lives.

With well over 25 years of experience as a clinical psychologist and noted for my success in offering practical and direct interventions, I would offer myself to intervene into this situation and solve it with the Woods. I hope and pray that Mr. & Mrs. Woods and their family are receiving the best help they can get and are not just going through the motions with some quasi-professional so that they can report this to the media. Please get the best help you can.

The New York Times ran an article about boxer Manny Pacquiao’s entourage. There is so much to discuss about this article that I am actually at a loss for words. Perhaps, when I have had the proper time to digest the contents, I will have something more insightful to say. In the mean time here is the link to a rather interesting (disturbing may be the better word) article: In Pacquiao’s Corner, a Dysfunctional Entourage Let me know what you think!

Last week in these blogs we debated the issue of slow runners and whether they should be allowed to compete in marathons. Today, a favorite columnist of mine in the New York Times chimed in with her own story as a slow runner. Tara Parker-Pope gives a very unique and interesting perspective on this debate. She her column at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/health/03well.html?_r=1&ref=science. She presents not only her own personal perspective, but brings in compelling facts and some interesting opinions from surprising sources. Check this out.